The flyover includes Baltimore, D.C., and Atlanta.
As part of Operation America Strong, the Air Force Thunderbirds and Navy Blue Angels will continue flyovers this weekend on Saturday, May 2. Washington D.C.; Baltimore, Maryland; and Atlanta, Georgia are on the flight plan. Earlier this week, they flew over the areas of New York City, Trenton, and Philadelphia.
Judging from the map, the flight path begins around 11:30 a.m. at Fort McHenry and continues over the Baltimore area by 11:40 a.m. By 11:45, they’ll be around Prince George’s Hospital as the flight continues over Arlington around 11:55 and the National Mall by 12:05 p.m. At this point, the flight heads south to Atlanta, Georgia, where they’re scheduled to be by 1:35 p.m.
The Baltimore portion is 15 minutes, the D.C. portion is 20 minutes, and Atlanta is 25 minutes. The flyover ends at 2 p.m. All times are approximate, and residents are encouraged to practice safe social distancing from their home quarantines.
The flight formation includes six F-16 C/C Fighting Falcons and six F-18 C/D Hornets. There won't be stunts.
Flyovers will take place in other cities across the U.S. over the next month. Some of the flights will include both teams, and some flights will just be one or the other. This was done in order to cover more areas. Keep tuned to social media for future flyover dates.
Pilots are required to complete a certain number of hours of flight time every year. Since a majority of the scheduled performances have been canceled due to COVID-19, this is helping pilots to complete hours (while honoring essential workers and bringing unity to residents). No extra taxpayer dollars were used for these flyovers.
The Air Force Thunderbirds posted on its Facebook page:
We were filled with joy when we saw the outpouring of love and excitement from these heroes and the many other Americans as they watched the flyover. We can't thank them enough for their hard work and dedication during this difficult time in our nation.
You can visit the Air Force Thunderbirds or the U.S. Navy Blue Angels on Facebook for flyover announcements and videos. Use #AmericaStrong or tag either military branch to share your photos and videos with your social circles.
Were you able to catch any of the Blue Angel or Thunderbird flyovers yet? Let us know in the comments.
